Montreux Miami Jazz Festival returns for part deux

Miami Herald

25-02-2025

Emily Estefan is following in the footsteps of her Miami music royalty parents Emilio and Gloria Estefan, who are longtime ambassadors of the city's live music experience.
Estefan performs at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Miami for its second year as part of Sunday night's Afro-Cuban event, 'La Descarga.' The festival, at the Hangar in Coconut Grove, begins Friday, Feb. 28 and continues through Sunday, March 2, culminating with the all-star jam session.
The singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist was part of the inaugural Montreux Miami in 2024. A new chapter in the legendary Switzerland-based jazz festival, which started in 1967 on the shores of Lake Geneva, and spread across the ocean, most recently to Latin America with the Rio Montreux Jazz Festival in Rio de Janiero in 2019 and then Miami last year.
'Even though jazz is firmly in the festival's DNA, we are committed to breaking musical siloes and getting audiences to discover artists and music that they may not have realized they would love. The Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland has been doing this for nearly 60 years. Miami's artistic diversity and advantages as a destination make it an incredible fit,' says co-producer and Miami native Jeremy Arditi who was instrumental in bringing Montreux to his hometown in 2024.
'I thought someone should do for music in Miami what Basel had done for art. Fortunately, the Montreux brand and reputation spoke for itself; officials and partners understood the opportunity for the city within about 60 seconds,' says Arditi.
Estefan will join an all-star lineup hosted by Jon Batiste and Cimafunk at Sunday night's 'La Descarga.' This year, Emilio Estefan became an investor and co-owner of Montreux Jazz Miami.
'Bringing artists to the city and having artists from Miami involved, it's very important to have this kind of event in Miami for the music scene, music lovers and for local businesses,' says Emilio Estefan, adding 'I'm very honored to be involved in the festival and am looking forward to this weekend.'
On the three-day bill are Jon Batiste, who is co-owner and, who this year curated the festival lineup, WILLOW and Justin Lee-Schultz on Friday, Feb. 28; Chaka Khan, Janelle Monáe and Griff on Saturday, March 1, and then the Afro-Cuban 'La Descarga' on Sunday, March 2, featuring Emily Estefan, Chucho Valdés, Paquito D'Rivera, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Ibrahim Maalouf, Cimafunk & La Tribu, Alfredo Rodriguez, Pedrito Martinez, Hamilton de Holanda, Sammy Figueroa, Yilian Cañizares, Yissy Garcia, Brenda Navarette, Robe L Ninho, Victor Campbell, Yussa, Wampi and Aymée Nuviola. Each night will conclude with an after-hours jam session led by Jon Batiste and his band Stay Human.
Emily Estefan says that Montreux has injected an energy back into Miami. 'Live music in Miami used to be something back in the day when I was still a seed somewhere floating in the multiverse. [Jazz trumpeter and vocalist] Chet Baker used to play on Calle Ocho and Nat King Cole (performing in Miami in the 1960s. There are so many places that are historic when it comes to live music and specifically jazz. We have places like Lagniappe that continue to keep the tradition alive. You'll see Corey Henry jamming there at 3 a.m. but we've kind of lost the connection to that.'
She says that's where Montreux is bringing a new vibe to the city. 'It is so great for Miami music lovers to have these kinds of moments. There is so much variation of talent here and I feel sometimes the world doesn't' realize that because of all the other amazing things that make us Miami. We are the party and this and that but the jazz party definitely happens at Montreux.' Estefan predicts that 'this side of Miami is going to continue to be rediscovered – maybe some new jazz clubs opening up, maybe jazz residences of artists residencies for Latin jazz. We have a lot of potential to continue on this trail.'
She's giddy with excitement about performing in the jam session and especially the DNA that's built into jazz. 'There is improvisation that is the excitement of the music – that you're only going to experience this moment at this time. And The Hangar is such an intimate venue – an open space – that it breathes those kinds of moments. And what an amazing collection of human beings.
Also in the mix for 'La Descarga' is another 'Woman of Montreux Miami,' Aymée Nuviola.
'It's an important invitation for me,' says the Cuban native. 'Many important musicians from my country – friends like Sammy Figueroa, Paquito D'Rivera, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and so many musicians I admire,' says Nuviola.
In fact, Nuviola was featured along with Rubalcaba on Figueroa's 2024 Latin Grammy-nominated album 'Searching For A Memory (Busco Tu Recuerdo).'
She reveals that one of the songs she'll be performing in the jam is Puerto Rican singer and composer of salsa and bolero music, Cheo Feliciano's 1964 classic 'El Raton.'
'It is very jammy and with very funny lyrics but there's a special way for the harmonies and the treatment. I think it will be wonderful to perform this with the boys.'
But with all the light-heartedness aside, she says to play at Montreux Miami has a deeper meaning at this time. An advocate for the Afro-LatinX and Afro-Cuban community, the Latin Grammy winner who has earned the nickname 'La Sonera del Mundo,' says that it is significant for 'a woman like me' to be in the festival.
'In America, it is very important to not lose culture and jazz. It is a genre that came from the very heart of the United States. So, the reason that we do this festival is so that we can bring all the Cuban flavor, Latino flavor, all together in Miami and United States. And with all those prominent musicians that are going to be there, it is very important . . .'
What she says she hopes to bring to Montreux Miami this year is a unifying message. 'Music is like an island without borders. It is the universal language.'
If you go:
WHAT: Montreux Jazz Festival Miami
WHEN: Gates open at 5 p.m., hangar doors at 6:30 p.m., music at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, March 1. Friday lineup: Jon Batiste & Friends, WILLOW, Justin Lee Schultz. Saturday, March 1: Chaka Khan, Janelle Monáe, Griff; Hangar doors at 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., music: Sunday, March 2: Afro Cuban 'La Descarga' with opening sets by Monsieur Periné and Alfredo Rodriguez. Friday and Saturday will conclude with an after-hours jam session led by Jon Batiste and his band Stay Human.
WHERE: The Hangar at Regatta Harbour, 3385 Pan American Drive, Coconut Grove
COST: $299 per day, general admission, no seating; $499, 2 day general admission, $599 for one day VIP, includes seating, jam session entry, and extras; $1,199 Legend pass (Saturday); $999 Legend pass (Sunday), includes front row seating.
INFORMATION: Tickets at mjfmiami.com; info at montreuxjazzfestivalmiami.com
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